The Only One that Matters
by Roxotaku
Summary: 1st place winner at Feudal Tales on LJ. A Sesshomaru/Rin piece that takes place at the end of the manga. A fire in Kaedes village brings a concerned Sesshomaru looking for Rin..


Sesshomaru strode quickly down the path, his silver hair flaring out behind him

Sesshomaru strode quickly down the path, his silver hair flaring out behind him. Smoke billowedin thedistance causing a small knot of fear to ride hard in his gut. If it was coming from where he thought, he could only hope he made it in time.

The village loomed before him, as Sesshomaru flew with unmatched speed towards it, his mokomoko trailing out behind him like a cloud. He narrowed his eyes and his sensitive nostrils flared at the smell…burnt human flesh.

The demon Lord's narrow feet hardly touched the ground as landed at a run, his eyes and nose searching for one special person. He passed burnt out huts and wailing villagers, who paid him no notice in their distraught states.

Sesshomaru felt a wave of relief as a slim figure in a yukata covered in soot came in to view. She was bending over a woman and applying a salve before bandaging her burned hand. The injured woman spotted Sesshomaru coming their way, and her young healer turned to look.

"Oh, my Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin exclaimed, her face a mix of happiness and excitement. "I'm so glad you are here!"

Carefully Sesshomaru looked over his ward before speaking.

"Are you injured?" Sesshomaru asked quietly.

The young woman shook her head and gave Sesshomaru a smile at his concern.

"No, I was in the fields," Rin replied, leaving a smear of ash on her face as she pushed aside her disheveled hair. "I rushed back when I heard the screams and saw the smoke. Bandits attacked, and InuYasha-sama took care of them."

"And where is my little brother now?"

"Out patrolling the woods for any more intruders."

The aura radiating off the young woman pinged on his youkai as the truth, and he let himself relax as an inner calm returned. These feelings, as always, were not noticeable on his beautiful, other worldly face. But as attuned as she was to him, Rin was aware of the inner workings of his youkai heart, and gave him a warm smile.

"Rin-chan, Rin-chan!"

A young boy, all arms and legs as he ran frantically towards them, stopped panting in front of Rin. Immediately she turned to him, her face intense with concern.

"What is it Kyuichi?" Rin. "Everyone in your family escape the fire okay?"

"Yes, no one was badly hurt," Kyuichi replied. "But something is wrong with Kaede…"

"Oh no, and Kagome-chan went to a neighboring village with Sango-chan!" Rin said in dismay. "So, it is up to me to help Kaede…"

'Not without me,' Sesshomaru thought. 'I must be sure there is no longer any danger here.'

"I will go with you," the Demon Lord said.

Not waiting for the human boys directions, Sesshomaru used his nose to find Kaede, Rin and Kyuichi following in his wake. Inside a hut, a family hovered worriedly over the collapsed old, miko as Sesshomaru swept inside. Quickly Rin knelt by her side and took her hand.

"It is too late," Sesshomaru intoned, as he looked down at the waxy, ashen face of the old miko.

"NOOOOO!" Rin wailed, her eyes wild with despair. "Tell me it is not so my Lord, she was still needed by the village!"

"It was her time," Sesshomaru replied adamantly. "Someone else will take her place as the village healer."

Rin was not mollified, as she bent over the body of the old woman, her shoulders shaking as sobs overwhelmed her. She clung tightly to the dead woman's hand, stubbornly refusing to accept what had happened.

"My Lord, Kagome and I were still in training, what is the village to do with two half trained healers?"

There was no response from the Lord of the West. The concerns of this village were not his own. Humans were born, humans died. Never did that matter to him, but the one human who did matter to him was radiating such distress, it made him uncomfortable. Knowing her as he did, he could tell the pain of this loss ran deep…

Lips in a firm line, Sesshomaru drew Tensaiga. The family gasped, and cringed away from him.

"Stand aside, Rin," Sesshomaru said.

Looking up at him with a tear stained face, hope lit up her eyes as she saw Tensaiga in her Lords hands. Moving away quickly, she stood up as Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes to look for the collectors of the souls of the dead. He was just in time…

The sword of life came down, and with a swish and a hellish shriek only audible to the Taiyoukai, the collectors were gone. Rin clasped her hands in front her, her knuckles white as she waited. Kaede's eyes opened slowly, as her face blossomed with life. With a cry of joy, Rin threw herself down by the old mikos side.

"Thank you, oh thank you my Lord!" Rin said, smiling as fresh tears of relief rolled down her cheeks while Kaede turned to look at her.

Sesshomaru did not say anything as he sheathed Tensaiga. But a small part of his cool, ethereal heart was warmed to see the only human who would ever matter him happy again.


End file.
